April 11, 2010

The black constables in 1858 Victoria

I've heard from Chris Herbert, who's been studying the blacks in gold-rush BC, especially in the Cariboo. He's given me permission to post a letter he found by John C. Gibson, writing to his mother from Fort Hope on October 12, 1858:

“I will write you a few lines and tell you how I am and what my Prospects are if you got my last letter dated in Sept last at sea on my Passage to this country you know how I have been and what I have been doing up to that time so I want tell you that over again.

Well after I got the Machinery put up in the Boat she commenced running and has been running ever since and I expect she will run until the River freezes up that will be about 2 months and then I shall return to CaliforniaI am already heart sick and tired of this country and the English Laws I think the English are as general thing the meanest People in the worldWhen the Americans came here the first thing they done was to appoint Negro Police over them but the Americans swore thay would kill every one of them and that they would do as thay had a mind to if thay did not put other men on the Police & at that time there was Negroes and put English in there Placebut thay impose thair stringent laws and taxes and all other impositions on the American People as far as thay can the People are scatered around the country now and thay have a better chance it don’t make so much difference to me as I am on the steamer all the time and make it my Home on her but to se the airs the English Put on over the American it is Enough to make any one sick talking about their country and the gold that is in it thay thing there is not another place in the world like it as or the country (setting all biased opinions aside) I think it is one of the most…